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Spat by Soulgirl at 6:36 pm | Comments (20)
I DID NOT WRITE THE FAN GENRES!
What is Northern Soul?
“Northern Soul is a term that was originally coined to describe ‘rare soul of the type enjoyed in the North of England’” Quote from “Soul Survivors” by Russ Winstanley & David Nowell.
In the mid 60’s, Britain began embracing American Soul music, the Motown sound appealed more than earlier 60’s soul records that had been hits in the states. A club scene built up around the country that was dedicated to dancing to these records (which included Motown and other sounds from Detroit). When the rest of England moved on to either Funk or Progressive Rock, hardcore soul fans in the North stayed with fast, four-beat, and sometimes 100mph, dance music; searching out ever more rare examples of the sound they loved.
It’s difficult to describe what Northern Soul is. Just how the term came about is easy to write down but the essence is in the sounds themselves. The best way to find out about Northern Soul is to listen to the music,
I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like it after they had heard a few of the more popular tracks. For Me, Northern Soul means danceable, smoochable, BIG PRODUCTION sounds.. including all my favorite drums, brass, woods, glocks, Xylophones, strings and a bloody good black vocal. Need I say more? More so it means to hell with the bollocks of what the elite’ests say! It’s not about how much the record costs, what label it is on or even what media you choose to use.
It’s about the music… simple as that!
Just because you don’t collect doesn’t mean you’re not worthy. This scene will die soon if everyone keeps up this pretence that northern soul is about a small black piece of vinyl/acetate! Play it how you like and let it live on. I’m getting into the raw 60’s R&B sounds at the moment, and hate to admit it but the modern sounds are coming forward for me a bit too!
Are You A Northern Soul Fan? Well, I read this on www.nightowlclub.com that doesn’t seem to be around anymore! … and thought to myself, in my own inimitable nauseating way.. yeah – I’m Class One! (rediscovered at http://www.northern.soulfans.co.uk/Collect.htm).
Quote Steve Sayles 1997: “I put forward the hypotheses there are four classes or types on the Northern Soul Scene, which are as follows”
The sub-class
This class of person is not a soul fan; they became involved with the Northern soul scene during the hey-days of 1975-79. The sub-class is often referred to as ” plastic-Soulies ” having no real passion for the music. The plastic-Soulies are part of the soul scene because of social ties. They will have friends who belong to the other classes of persons on the scene. The majority of this sub-class left the Northern soul scene when other musical styles became popular.
Class one (the soul fan)
The Soul Fan is driven by the love of the “sound”. The Soul Fan loves to listen to the sound irrespective of the medium. The Soul Fan does not care if the medium is original vinyl, pressing, CD, etc The soul fan will have a collection that will contain the sounds on many medium. Because it is the love of the sound that is the driving force not the love of a particular medium. The Soul Fan may sell a favorite sound that is on an original label, because it is available on CD and with the extra money he/she can purchase more CD’s or pressings or originals containing other loved sounds. Therefore driven by the love of soul music, the original is sold to be replaced by more sounds.
Class two
This is the overlap class; Some Soul Fans are also Original Soul Record Collectors. Both the love of soul music and the love of collecting original soul records drive them. This Class of person will have more conflict in his/her purchasing i.e. to buy the three pressings or the original? This Class may replace pressings as and when they can get hold of the original records. There is a tendency though in this class to be influenced by the third class in their purchasing practices.
Class Three (the original soul record collector)
The Original Soul Record Collector this is the elitist class, this class do not belong to the class of Soul Fans, they are not soul fans . They are not driven by the love of soul music. But by the love of collecting (viz. soul records). This class comes over as “snobs” as regard to soul records and may well refuse to own pressings or CDs. This class once belonged to the second class but have lost sight of the nature of soul music and have been caught up by pride and vanity. They love nothing better than telling you the value of a record and how few copies exist. Contrast the Soul Fan who loves nothing better than listening to the record and loves to play them for you too.
This class have an elitist attitude. Any Club policy of playing only original recordings stinks of this elitist class value, it can only have a detrimental effect, the person on the dance floor or sat listening to the sound don’t really care because ‘Its what’s in the groove that counts’ or “what hits the ears dude” Cliches concerning originals as being ‘the Real McCoy and not just being 7 inch of vinyl, but pieces of history’ may be true. But the truth is far greater, the Northern Soul scene owes a lot to pressings . The invention of the CD has preserved this unique music style and done much to make it available to the Soul Fan. Cd’s and pressings like everything else have their place in history. Argument’s using history are weak when trying to sell class values. The Soul Fan will keep the faith. The third class has a different faith to propagate.
Steve Sayles 1997
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On December 1, 2007 at 12:01 am
WoW kangid loves this newish said:
December 1, 2007 at 12:01 am
Thank you, for the bestest Northern
Mucho Respect
~Bryan
On December 1, 2007 at 7:46 am
Soulgirl said:
December 1, 2007 at 7:46 am
You’re welcome
On February 15, 2008 at 12:19 pm
roman abramovitch said:
February 15, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Great site and My mission in life is to get people to discover the late,great Darrell Banks and in particular"Open the door to your heart",right up there with the best examples of northern soul there is!
On February 15, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Soulgirl said:
February 15, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Yes, it’s a lovely song – not played out much these days. The purists say it’s an overplayed oldie :wave:
On April 7, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Dave said:
April 7, 2008 at 1:51 pm
As for the 4 classes of soul fan i,ve never read so much rubbish, i fall into all 4 classes yet ive loved soul music for 32 years i also love Bad Co and Deep Purple have loved these bands for 30 years. i will always try to get an original record and will buy pressing 2nd issues yet i hate them, and am proud of the collection i have accumulated over the last 32 years. The trouble with most scenes of any kind soul mod or otherwise is people are STILL trying to pigeon hole themselves and others. I havent been to a soul do for 5 years yet still buy records am i a class 1 2 or 3 or just an ex soulie or just a lightweight, either way am i bothered.
On April 7, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Soulgirl said:
April 7, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I’m not so sure it is all rubbish Dave. Of course, everyone is different (such as yourself) but there is always a trend and I think his Thesis shows the trends quite nicely.
On June 26, 2008 at 9:15 pm
andy said:
June 26, 2008 at 9:15 pm
This site is crap , Get a life all you sad bastards !
On June 28, 2008 at 9:40 am
Soulgirl said:
June 28, 2008 at 9:40 am
Yes, well you’re a keyboard hero. So either fuck off or give a decent argument as to why we’re sad bastards and you’re not!
On October 27, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Steve Sayles said:
October 27, 2008 at 1:16 pm
I wrote the article many years ago in response to an earlier piece promoting the exclusive use of originals records. The attempt to pigeon hole is a human trait. To categorize is to try to determine reality. It is standard practice to categorize things in accordance to what they have in common. Categorization is primarily automatic and unconscious. We tend to categorize all things both concrete and abstract.
This was my attempt at self-categorization, this is referred to as the “social identity theory of the group”. Which seeks to explain the ssumptions that need to be made about group formation. This is undertaken in order to understand social categorization studies on intergroup behavior. Which i have observed within the Northern Soul scene since 1973. According to Rosch I should not have been able to to this as she argues that if all members of a category share the same common properties then none can be a better example of the category than any other. She oes on to argue that if categories are defined by the properties inherent in each member then categories must be independent of those who do the categorization.
But what the heck I stick to my original observations
keep the faith you who fall into the top two clasees
On October 27, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Soulgirl said:
October 27, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Thanks for the in-depth reasoning. Very interesting stuff. God, I love human psychology.
Now, when you say top two, do you mean the first two categories, or do you mean the top two as in elitist? :lol:
On October 28, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Steve Sayles said:
October 28, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I mean the class 1 & 2 categories, of course in any methodology of categorization there could well be varying degrees of overlap between groups. Social Identity Theory was originally developed to understand the psychological basis of intergroup discrimination. And this was my attempt to identify the minimal conditions that would lead members of one group to discriminate in favor of the their group. In the Social Identity Theory, a person has not one, “personal self”, but rather several selves that correspond to widening circles of group membership. One is therefore able to move within different sub –cultures, because an individual has multiple “social identities”. Our individual-based perception of what defines the “us”, is often associated with internalized group membership. Social Identity Theory asserts that group membership creates self-categorization and enhancement in ways that favor the one-group at the expense of the another group. I well remember the intergroup rivalry between Wigan & Mecca, between the “oldies” and “Newies”.
Tajfel and Turner (1979) identify three variables whose contribution to the emergence of a particular group favoritism is particularly important. A) the extent to which individuals identify with their group to internalize the group membership as an aspect of their self-concept. B) the extent to which the prevailing context provides ground for comparison between groups. C) the perceived relevance of the comparison group, which itself will be shaped by the relative and absolute status of the group. Individuals are likely to display favoritism when a group is central to their self-definition and a given comparison is meaningful or the outcome is contestable.
We are all pawns to our inner human traits , whether we like it or not, whether we agree with the catogirsizing or not. Social Identity Theory has a considerable impact on social psychology. It influences include prejudice, stereotyping, negotiation and language use.
The early days of the Northern Soul scene are an excellent example of how the process of categorizing oneself as a group member gives an individual’s behaviour a distinct meaning, creating a positively valued social identity. For yesrs the Northern soul fan, considered themselves as part of the “in-crowd”. This group identity then became an integral aspect of an individual’s sense of ‘who they are’.
According the Social Identity Theory as a consequence of this new found identity individuals want to see ‘us’ as different from and better than ‘them’ and hence display in-group favouritism in order to enhance self-esteem.
My paper is a typical outworking of Social Identity Theory According to the theory, social categories, including sub cultures and even different all-nighter clubs, provide their members with a sense of who they are, and social identities not only describe but also prescribe appropriate behaviour, and membership of the social category of ‘northern soul fan’, for example, determines not only how members define and evaluate themselves but also how others define and evaluate them. According to the theory, the basis of social prejudice is the enhancement of self-esteem by discrimination against other groups. As is described in my hypothesis
Keep the faith I Soul fans in class 1 & 2 categories
On October 28, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Soulgirl said:
October 28, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Do you think that’s why I, as a class 1 fan, was able to interpret and accept your initial classing whereas someone say, from class 3 is unable to accept what’s been lain before their eyes? It somewhat makes them feel as though they belong to something they’re not happy with seeing it written down – bearing their soul – ‘on paper’ and undermines their position ‘on the scene’? I say this because class 3 comes over as being obsessive and blinkered, which is not a nice trait – not balanced I mean. Or am I way off mark?
And thank you for providing very interesting information Steve!
On November 3, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Steve Sayles said:
November 3, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Nope you are not way off mark – you are right on the money. The truth hurts, we would rather not hear it let alone read it-
On November 3, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Soulgirl said:
November 3, 2008 at 4:03 pm
:haha:
On November 8, 2008 at 12:54 am
Steve Sayles said:
November 8, 2008 at 12:54 am
The whole argument is best summed up in the famous Motown phrase “it’s what’s in the Groove that counts” When I first published my thesis on the back of a flyer advertising a soul night in Doncaster. One of the elitist group read my article and confronted me (he had previously written a piece in a local fanzine promoting the exclusive use of original vinyl recordings) I quoted the famous Motown phrase in order to support my argument. The upshot was that he used the same phrase to support his position. I explained the error of his argument. The vinyl contains the groove , the sound is in the groove. The actual vinyl groove is not what counts, but the sound that’s in the groove is what counts. I think he finally understood what Motown were actually saying, and what all true soul fans already knew.
Keep the faith great site
On January 5, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Martin said:
January 5, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Couldnt agree more with this classification system…its the music and not the format which keeps us going… how many great tracks do we get to hear which are impossible to own due to rarity and price,these tracks should be played for the crowd even if only available on copy…yet some djs wont give the soul fans in the crowd the pleasure…ego problems. Anyway keep up the good work Soul Girl and well done on your site.
On January 5, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Soulgirl said:
January 5, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Thank you Martin… I really appreciate that! Soul is for everyone, not just those that can afford it.
On February 18, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Phil said:
February 18, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Northern Soul is quite simply “A Way of Life”
to be enjoyed by people of all ages and creeds
On April 14, 2009 at 8:44 pm
steve sayles said:
April 14, 2009 at 8:44 pm
For me. it is now not so much a way of life (but for many years it was that) But even today after 36 yrs on the scene it still remains one The Great Passion
On April 14, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Soulgirl said:
April 14, 2009 at 9:15 pm
That’s it Steve, it’s a passion! Very much so!